The Lucky Dip Case is back! Last time we did this, we broke the internet. This time we’ve bubble-wrapped the servers because they’re in for another beating.
Every case contains the same 11 wicked wines, including some our absolute faves here at the ‘fo. More info on them below, and they’re all good things. All mofo standard - i.e. nothing we haven’t enjoyed ourselves.
Then there’s the added excitement of seeing which one of these world-beater wines you will receive as your twelfth.
The twelfth wine is the wildcard and could be one any one of these:
An iconic Penfolds Grange 2017 worth $900 (1 in 100 chance)
A (1 in 10 chance)
A $45
Each box contains one of these epic wines. The odds vary per wine, but each one is a centrepiece wine, worthy of some truly special occasions.
We should say up front: there are no returns on this - click here for case terms and conditions. As it’s a Lucky Dip, it would be unfair to other mofos running in the draw.
The easiest way to guarantee getting a bottle of Grange is to go out and buy one for yourself. If you, like me, don’t have $900 handy, this is definitely your best (and cheapest) option! Heard enough already? Pop that case in the cart and cross your fingers and toes! Otherwise, read on for a bit more info on all those lovely wines:
Wildcard Wines
Wild Card Wine #1
Penfolds Grange Shiraz 2013
South Australia
100pts The Wine Advocate | 98pts Falstaff Magazine | 97pts Wine Spectator | 96pts The Wine Front | 96pts Jeremy Oliver | 96pts Cellar Tracker | 95pts Wine Enthusiast | 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Remember that old Heinz Ketchup “anticipation” ad from the 1970s? The palate of this 2013 Grange does just that. It makes you wait with so much delicious promise being drip fed into the mouth at first—and then it bursts forth and delivers!
This vintage is a blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, coming from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Magill Estate. Very deep inky purple-black colored, the 2013 Grange has a profoundly scented nose of crème de cassis, preserved black plums, blueberry pie and licorice over nuances of baker’s chocolate, smoky bacon and fragrant earth, plus exotic spice wafts of cumin seed, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise. Unfurling and slowly building in the medium to full-bodied mouth with wonderful grace and depth, it reveals an incredible array of ripe black fruit, spice, meat and earth-inspired flavors, with a rock-solid frame to support this beauty (it should easily cellar for 40+ years!), while previously latent flavors emerge fully on the epically long finish, culminating in that ultimate Grange experience. Oh, yes. - The Wine Advocate
Gloriously, splendiferously complex. There are so many layers of flavour it’s labyrinthine, yet you never lose the thread, the path, of the wine. - James Halliday
YOU’D PAY $900 full price.
Wild Card Wine #2
Château Tanunda S.238 Shiraz 2016
Barossa Valley, SA
95pts Sam Kim | Gold Medal Berlin Wine Trophy 2019 | 5 Star Halliday Rated Producer
Château Tanunda, established way back in 1890, have been crafting excellent wines across three centuries now and are not slowing down. In fact, their wines are getting better and better. Over the years, they have held on to the ‘basket pressing’ technique, the traditional way of pressing the grapes makes for gentle extraction, leaving a wine ultimately richer and smoother. This wine is all the better for it, with beautiful talc-y tannins in a bed of plum, blackberry and dark chocolate all wrapped up in cedar (that’s from the oak, not the press of course). The wine is big and generous on the palate, classic and beautiful Barossa.
YOU’D PAY $60 full price.
Wild Card Wine #3
Beklyn Shiraz 2019
Currency Creek, SA
Single Vineyard | Boutique Producer
There’s something about the maritime climate of South Australia’s Currency Creek that makes magical shiraz. This wine from a boutique producer Beklyn is a great example of the style - it’s broad with spice, tannin and a dense core of fruit that unwinds after an hour in a decanter. If you love full-bodied South Aussie shiraz, you’ll adore this wine, which is full of plums and raspberries, alongside black pepper and soft spice. Inviting aromatics of dusty cacao and black forest linger well after the final sip.
YOU’D PAY $45 full price.
The Other Wines
Shiraz Cabernet 2018
King Valley, VIC
5 Star Halliday Rated Winery
When one of our favourite winemakers in the King Valley asks us to come around and taste a few bottles, we come running. He’s a gun with the usual suspects from the region - sangiovese, pinot grigio and, of course, prosecco - but also one of the few that makes shiraz and cabernet fit to stand alongside some of that nation’s best. This classic Aussie blend is medium-bodied, bright, ripe with plum and cassis, and finishes with fine, fine tannins.
YOU’D PAY $30 full price.
Vintage Longbottom Rosé 2019
Adelaide Hills, SA
Women in Wine
A pretty and versatile rosé from the Adelaide Hills - the mother-daughter team from Vintage Longbottom have made magic with the wine. Look out for white blossom, rosewater and Turkish delight on the nose, followed by pawpaw, strawberries and red apple on the palate. A well-made wine and super-delish!
YOU’D PAY $28 full price.
Pirramimma Stock’s Hill Old Vine Grenache 2018
McLaren Vale, SA
This is a special one - old vine goodness from McLaren Vale - it unfolds and unfolds and unfolds in layers of the darkest berries and finest dark chocolate, freshly roasted coffee and inky black licorice. It’s a grenache that unashamedly brings richness and complexity to the table before washing its dinner down with dark fruits.
YOU’D PAY $25 full price.
Chardonnay 2017
Adelaide Hills, SA
A classic Hills chardy from one of our fave producers in the region. Using a combination of French and American clones, a pitch-perfect harmony of chardonnay flavour is achieved, balancing fruit-rich flavour and lively acidity. White nectarines and green apples abound, driven by acid and crunchy texture. Clean and crisp, it’s nevertheless loaded with satisfying flavour.
YOU’D PAY $25 full price.
Glendale Regional Series Shiraz 2018
South Australia
Here’s what wine writer Sam Kim had to say about this wine: “Sweetly ripe and perfumed, the immediately appealing bouquet shows Black Doris plum, mulberry, floral, clove and roasted nut characters, leading to a succulent palate displaying fleshy mouthfeel and supple tannins. Upfront and flavoursome.”
YOU’D PAY $25 full price.
Riesling 2020
South Australia
5 Star Halliday Rated Producer
This riesling is going to be a pleasant surprise for many. It’s not from Clare and not from Eden - but from vineyards in Coonawarra and Wrattonbully. If my geography serves me right, these two regions are way down south, with cool climates and epic soil - so you’ll be glad to be branching out from the usual. This rizza has wonderful cool minerality, juicy, vibrant lime and glorious floral notes of jasmine and acacia. Riesling expresses terroir like no other white, so the terra rossa and limestone combo on this makes for very exciting drinking.
YOU’D PAY $25 full price.
Pinot Noir 2016
Marlborough, NZ
92pts Sam Kim
There’s something wonderful about kicking back after a day of work and having a nice glass of fruit-driven pinot that just goes down easy. No big, heavy tannin to make your mouth pucker. No massive alcohol percentage to foreshadow a headache. Shoes off, feet up, pull the lever on the recliner if you’ve got one. Maybe pop the tele on. This is wine sourced from the Wairau Valley of Marlborough, fermented with indigenous yeast and put to rest in French oak for about 9 months. It has Marlborough’s typical cherry and strawberry pinot profile with a little gentle spice and oak behind it to complete the wine. So reward yourself for a day of hard work, you’ve earned it.
YOU’D PAY $24 full price.
Marques del Silvo Rioja 2019
Rioja, Spain
This is your weekday Rioja - younger, fresher and easier than it’s aged counterparts and all the better for it. It’s a blend of 85% tempranillo 10% garnacha and 5% graciano, with all grapes coming together to make a very tasty wine. There’s cherry and licorice on the nose, followed by ripe plum, sour cherry and a touch of cola on the palate. Medium-bodied and just delicious.
YOU’D PAY $24 full price.
Beppe Morchetta Pinot Grigio 2020
Sicily, Italy
Sicily may not be the traditional heartland of Italian pinot grigio, but it sure as hell produces a good one. They’ve got some wonderful soils there, loads of lovely nourishing sunshine and cooling sea breezes to retain the freshness in the wine. A sip of this is enough to take you there. Crunchy pink lady apples, dribble-down-your-chin pears, zesty citrus aromatics and a soft almondy finish. Beyond delicious, really.
YOU’D PAY $22 full price.
Spy Valley Satellite Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Marlborough, New Zealand
We think you’ll like this one - it’s classic savvy blanc from one of Marlborough’s best, Spy Valley. These guys have got the knack with aromatic whites and this sauv is bright, fresh and forward! They are not challenging your palate with this wine, they are delighting it with something reliable and familiar. You’ll find passion fruit, melon and mineral notes. It’s light, fresh, fruity and zippy - great drinking.
YOU’D PAY $22 full price.
Clare Wine Co Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Clare Valley, SA
5 Star Halliday Rated Winery | Single Vineyard
Clare and cabernet go together like peas and carrots; thanks to typically warm S.A. days yet surprisingly cool evenings due to some serious elevation (480m for this specific vineyard, to be precise). The result is powerful and dark fruit notes alongside graceful elegance with natural retention of acidity to provide all the length you could hope for. Clare Wine Co. has secured a vineyard in the highly sought after sub region of Polish Hill with vines now over 20 years old. With a good few years under its belt, this drop is ready for the cap to be popped and enjoyed with your nearest and dearest.
YOU’D PAY $20 full price.
What is a Black Market deal?
Black Market deals are only made possible if we don’t reveal the maker’s brand on site. The wines are the genuine article – absolutely no cleanskins or fake brands, just dangerously good value. You won’t find out what it is until it hits your doorstep, but you won’t regret it. Just keep it on the down low.
